Authentic Adhkar: Lesson 48

Sun 23 Mar 2019

Lesson 48: Supplication when you are unsure and are seeking guidance in forming a decision

  • The Istikhaara dua
  • You may have a matter about which you are unsure and you do not know the outcome, whether it will be good or bad and you are worried about this
  • Hadith of Jabir (may Allah be pleased with him) [Sahih Al-Bukhari]
    • Supplication: Allaahumma innee astakheeruka bi’ilmika, wa ‘astaqdiruka biqudratika, wa ‘as’aluka min fadhtikal-‘Adheemi, fa’innaka taqdiru wa laa ‘aqdiru, wa ta’lamu, wa laa ‘a’lamu, wa ‘Anta ‘Allaamul-Ghuyoobi, Allaahumma ‘in kunta ta’lamu ‘anna haadhal-‘amra-[then mention the thing to be decided] Khayrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati ‘amree – [or say] ‘Aajili amree wa ‘aajilih – Faqdurhu lee wa yassirhu lee thumma baarik lee feehi, wa ‘in kunta ta’lamu ‘anna haadhal-‘amra sharrun lee fee deenee wa ma’aashee wa ‘aaqibati ‘amree – [or say] ‘Aajili amree wa ‘aajilihi – Fasrifhu ‘annee wasrifnee ‘anhu waqdur liyal-khayra haythu kaana thumma ‘ardhinee bihi
    • Translation: O Allah, I seek the counsel of Your Knowledge, and I seek the help of Your Omnipotence, and I beseech You for Your Magnificent Grace. Surely, You are Capable and I am not. You know and I know not, and You are the Knower of the unseen. O Allah, if You know that this matter [then mention the thing to be decided] is good for me in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, – [or say: in this life and the afterlife] – then ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if You know that this matter is bad for me in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come, – [or say: in this life and the afterlife] – then distance it from me, and distance me from it, and ordain for me what is good wherever it may be, and help me to be content with it.
  • Whoever seeks council in Allah will not regret it
  • When is it to be used?
  • What did Ibnul Qayyim say about this dua?
  • Allah controls all affairs and we rely on him
    • There is no one who can bring goodness except Allah
    • No one can remove harm except Allah
  • The ignorance and impermissibility of relying on other than Allah
  • Examples of situations when istikhaarah can be done (e.g. Marriage)
  • When can one NOT do istikhaarah?
  • How does one perform the Istikhaarah prayer? Why should one perform it?
  • Should one read the istikhaara supplication before giving the Tasleem or after it?
  • Should you raise your hands for this dua?
  • What if you have not memorised this dua? Can you read it from a book/paper?
  • The importance of being sincere and focused
  • What if a person is in an urgent need to make this supplication, yet he has not memorised it nor has he got a book or access to it, what does he or she do in this situation?

Q&A

  • Question: Can you use this supplication if you have got a new Job but you are unsure it
  • Question: Can you make this supplication multiple times
  • Question: Is it possible that someone makes dua for istikhaara and then afterwards he or she gets some sort of indication about a  good or bad decision?
  • Question: When making the istikhaara dua, should you make your affair very specific?
  • Question: Can someone else make istikhaara for you?
  • Question: What if you make istikhaara but your mind is not yet settled?
  • Question: When making a marriage decision, should the istikhaara dua be about one particular person or can it be between different choices?
  • Question: What if you make istikhaara about marrying a person, can you seek advice from others after making the dua?
  • Question: If someone misses prayer from a salafi masjid, and the other masaajid are upon bidah, should he pray at home or pray in the other mosques?

Next week: No Lesson, there will be the Liverpool conference insha Allah